Lehigh University

Laura E Briand

Israel E Wachs

A method wherein a methanol-containing gas stream is passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a supported or unsupported bulk vanadate catalyst in the presence of an oxidizing agent for a time sufficient to convert at least a portion of the methanol to formaldehyde (CHO).

Methanol oxidation over bulk metal vanadate catalysts

The method of the present invention involves the in situ formation of metal-molybdate catalyst particles active for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde, with iron as an example, the catalyst is made by mixing particulate forms of Fe O and MoO which form an active Fe (MoO ) /MoO component inside the reactor during methanol oxidation.

In situ formation of metal-molybdate catalysts for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde

A process and fixed bed reactor for oxidizing methanol in a reactant gas feed stream to formaldehyde. The process comprises introducing the reactant gas feed stream into an upstream region containing a first metal molybdate catalyst (substantially free of a volatile Mo/MoO species) under oxidizing conditions to form a partially oxidized reactant gas feed stream which is then introduced under oxidizing conditions into a downstream region containing a second metal molybdate catalyst to further oxidize any residual methanol contained therein. A fixed bed reactor comprising an upstream region and a downstream region containing the aforementioned first and second metal molybdate catalysts, respectively, is utilized to implement the inventive process to yield a product gas stream containing formaldehyde preferably at a conversion of 85% or more and a selectivity of 90% or more.

Metal molybdate/iron-molybdate dual catalyst bed system and process using the same for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde

The method of the present invention involves the in situ formation of metal-molybdate catalyst particles active for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde, with iron as an example, the catalyst is made by mixing particulate forms of Fe,O,and MoO,which form an active Fe,(MoO,),/MoO,component inside the reactor during methanol oxidation.

In-situ formation of metal-molybdate catalysts

The method of the present invention involves in situ regeneration of metal-molybdate catalyst for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde comprising the step of regenerating spent metal-molybdate catalyst with an oxygen-free gas stream comprising methanol and an inert gas for a sufficient time and at an elevated temperature to regenerate the metal-molybdate catalyst.

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

Laura E Briand